Next month will see the release of the Leica C, the first in a new line of Leica digital compact cameras.

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The new Leica C, shown in Light Gold. (Source: Leica.)
Featuring a Leica DC Vario-Summicron 6″“42.8 mm f/2″“5.9 ASPH. zoom lens and a 7.6 x 5.7 mm MOS sensor with12.1 effective megapixels, the new camera is the first Leica compact camera to feature an integrated Wi-Fi and NFC (Near Field Communication) module for the wireless transmission of image data to smart-phones and tablet PCs. It also offers a wide range of camera functions and settings, in-camera processing options and a simple, intuitive handling. The Leica C’s body and complementary camera accessories are designed by Audi Design. It is available in two finishes, light gold and dark red and is complemented by a range of accessories in premium materials.

The lens spans a focal length range equivalent to 28 to 200 mm in 35 mm format and carries a freely programmable ring. The 3-inch monitor has a resolution of 921,600 dots, a 3:2 aspect ratio and 100% field of view coverage. The Leica C also sports a colour LCD viewfinder with around 200,000 dots and +/- 4 dioptre adjustment. Full HD   video clips can be recorded in AVCHD format with Dolby Digital 2-channel stereo soundtracks. The camera has an internal memory of around 87MB and a single slot for SD, SDHC   and SDXC cards.

The Leica C will go on sale in Australia in October through Leica Boutiques and authorised Leica Dealers at an RRP of AU$900. Both the Dark Red and Gold versions will be on display at The Digital Show, which is held Melbourne Exhibition Centre  from 13-15 September 2013.

SPECS:

Sensor:

1/1.7-inch (7.6 x 5.7 mm) MOS sensor with12.8 MP (effective 12.1 MP)

Minimum light level:

~ 6 lux

Lens:

Leica DC Vario-Summicron 6″“42.8 mm f/2″“5.9 ASPH. (equivalent to 28″“200 mm in 35 mm format)

 

Focusing ranges                              

P/A/S/M: 50 cm (wide-angle) / 80 cm (telephoto) ““ infinity

Macro/snapshot/video focus:                                                                

3 cm (wide-angle) / 80 cm (telephoto) ““infinity

Digital zoom:                                    

max. 4ø—

Image stabilising system:

Optical

Shutter system:                                  

Electronic and mechanical

Shutter speed range:                

250 to 1/4000 s [Starry Sky] mode: 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds

Exposure modes:                            

Programme (P), aperture priority (A), shutter priority (S), manual (M)

Exposure compensation:

±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps

Exposure metering

Multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot

Flash modes

AUTO, AUTO with red-eye reduction,slow sync with red-eye reduction, ON, OFF

Effective flash distance

(with AUTO ISO ):

~ 0.6″“7 m (at maximum wide-angle setting), ~ 0.8″“2.3 m (at maximum telephoto setting)

Monitor

3.0-inch TFT LCD, ~ 921,600 dots, aspect ratio 3:2, shows ~ 100% of the image field

Viewfinder

Colour LCD viewfinder (~ 200,000 dots.) with dioptre compensation of +/”“4 dioptres

Microphone/speaker

Stereo/mono

Storage media

~ 87 MB internal memory plus SD/SDHC/SDXC expansion slot

Image formats

 

Still – RAW / JPEG (based on Exif 2.3 standard), DPOF-compatible, MPO

Video – AVCHD with Dolby ® Digital (2-channel) / MP4 with AAC (2-channel)

Interfaces

Digital: USB 2.0 (high speed), Analogue video/audio: NTSC/PAL composite; HDMI: for micro-HDMI cable (type D) AV OUT/DIGITAL: special socket (8-pin)

Wi-Fi

IEEE 802.11 b/g/n (Standard WLAN Protocol); 2,412″“2,462 MHz (1″“11 channels); Wi-Fi-compatible WPA / WPA2

NFC

ISO / IEC 18092 NFC-F (passive mode)

Battery

BP-DC14 E/U rechargeable lithium-ion (3.7 V / 950 mAh)

Dimensions (W x H x D; lens retracted)

Approx. 103 x 63 x 28 mm

Weight (with memory card and battery)

Approx. 195 grams